Pilot-light receptacle



NOV. 11, 1930. A, T 1,781,535

PILOT LIGHT RECEPTACLE Filed Oot 3, 1925 Ell [7 Patented Nov. 11, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE" TONJ'ES A. BOTH, OF STBATFOBD, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOB TO THE CONNECTICUT ELECTRIC MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT, A CORPO- RATION OF CONNECTICUT PILOT-LIGHT RECEPTACLE This invention relates to a receptacle for pilot lights, and especially to such a receptacle adapted to be mounted in a wall outlet box, and has for an object to provide an improved and simplified construction for such a device which will be open so that there is always a good circulation of air to keep it cool, which will not have weak spots which are liable to breakage such as are common in porcelain receptacles, which will be of light weight, and which 'will require less space and so will notrequire as deep 2. wall box.

With the foregoing and other objects in View, I have devised the construction illustrated in the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification, similar reference characters being employed throughout the various figures to indicate corresponding elements. In this drawing,

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a portion of the cover plate showin a jewel mounted for use with my improv pilot light and receptacle.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section through the cover plate and wall box showing my improved receptacle mounted therein.

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the receptacle removed and showing the lamp mounted therein.

Fig. 4 is an end elevation of one of the receptacle contacts.

Fig. 5 is an elevation of this contact looking from the right of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the other receptacle contact, and

Fig. 7 is an elevation thereof looking from the right of Fig. 6. a v

In the drawing 10 represents a section of a wall having a recess in which the wall outlet box 11 is mounted and in which the various electric devices are mounted, and into which the leads of the house wiring are conducted for connection to these devices, as is well known. This box is open on one s ide and is provided on this'side with the usual ears 12 to which the electrical devices are secured; My improved receptacle comprises a metal supporting member 13 substantially U'shape so as to have out! wardly extending portions or arms 14, which also have the laterally extending lugs 15 provided with the slots 16 through which it may be secured to the ears 12 of the wall box by the screws 17.

Secured to the body portion of this support is an insulated plate 18, the body portion of the support being of skeleton form with the opening 19 therethrough, and this opening is covered by the insulating plate 18, this plate being secured to the support by means of the rivets 20. Mounted on this insulating plate are the lamp holding means and contacts for engaging the lamp contacts. One of these contacts supports the lamp 21 and comprises an integral metal member 22 which has arms 23 and 24 extending at substantially right angles to the base of the member from the opposite side edges thereof and in substantially parallel planes. One of these arms, the arm 23, is substantially flat and is provided with an opening 25 large enough to allow insertion of the screw shell contact 26 of the lamp. The other arm 24 is provided with an opening 27 of smaller diameter than the outside diameter of the threads on the screw shell, and this opening is in alignment with the opening 25 in the arm 23. The opposite sides of the arm 24 are offset laterally from each other, as shown at 28,.a distance substantially equal to the distance between two threads of the screw shell, and these two offset sides are inclined to agree with the inclination of the threads so that they may rest in the grooves on the opposite sides of a screw thread, as shown in Fig. 3. The connection 29 between these two ofl'set portions is provided with a notch 30 through which the thread extends.

It will thus be apparent that in mounting the lamp the free end of the screw threaded shell is inserted through the opening in the arm 23 and into the opening in the arm 24. By ro tating this lamp the threadwill pass through the notch 30, and the offset sides 28 will seat in the grooves on the opposite sides of the thread so that the lamp contact or shell may be threaded into this arm and form electrical contact therewith. The contact 22 also includes a portion 31 carrying a binding screw 32 for connection in the usual manner to a lead lating plate in position to be engaged by the central contact 36 of the lamp. It is secured to the insulating plate by member 37 through the rivets 38 passing through a foot 39 on the spring contact. This member also carries a binding screw 40 for connection to the other lead 41.

After this mechanism has been installed in the outlet box the open side of the box is covered by means of a cover plate 42, which may be made of insulating material if. desired. This cover plate has a rectangular opening 43 in which is mounted a glass jewel 44, and this opening is so located as to be over the lamp 21 when the plate is mounted in position, so that the user may determine from the front of the plate whether the lamp is lighted, it being un-- derstood the lamp is connected in the circuit for any desired electricaldevice to indicate whether this circuit is open or closed. The plate is secured to the arms of the supporting member-13 by means of the screws 45 passing through the plate and threaded into these arms.

It will be apparent from the foregoing description that the lamp is mounted in substantially parallel relation to the cover plate and the insulating plate 18. It, therefore, occupies a minimum depth of space in the wall box and so does not require any deeper wall box than the ordinary electrical devices mounted in these boxes. It is also apparent that the receptacle is entirely open so that there is always a free circulation of air to keep it cool. It not only requires less space, but is light weight, strong and simple in construction, in-

volving a very small number of parts, and does not have the weak spots liable to breakage which are common in practically all porcelain receptacles.

Having thus set forth the nature of my invention, what I claim is:

1. In a device of the character described, a substantially U-shaped sup ort adapted to be mounted in a wall outlet ox at the rear of a face plate, an insulating plate mounted on the back member of 'the support and extending substantially parallel with the face plate so as to leave the sides open for free flow of air about the lamp, and means for supporting a larhp on the insulating plate substantially parallel therewith including contacts on the plate to engage the lamp contacts. I

2. In a device of the character described,

asubstantially U-shaped support, a substantially flat insulating plate mounted on the member connecting the legs of said support and extending substantially parallel therewith so as to leave the device open at the sides for free circulation of air, a pair of binding screws mounted on said plate, a contact mounted on the plate to engage a lamp con tact to support the lamp substantially parallel with the plate and electrically connected with one of said screws,and a second contact mounted on the plate to engage the other lamp contact and electrically connected with the other screw.

3. In a pilot light receptacle, a substan-- tially U-shaped metal support, a substantially plane insulating plate mounted in said support, a pair of binding screws mounted on the plate, a contact mounted on the plate to engage a lamp contact to support the lamp substantially parallel to the plate and electrically connected with one of the screws, and a second contact mounted on the plate to engage the other lamp contact and electrically connected with the other screw.

4. In combination, a support adapted to be mounted in a wall box open at one side,

said support including forwardly extending portions having lugs provided with openings of standard spacing for securing screws, an insulating plate mounted on said support and spaced rearwardly from said lugs, a lamp supporting means mounted on the front of said plate including contacts to engage the lamp contacts, and binding screws for connecting lead wires thereto.

5. In a device of the character described, an insulating supporting means, a lamp support mounted on said means comprising a pair of spaced rings to receive the screw shell of a lamp, one of said rings having the opposite sides thereof offset substantially the distance between two adjacent screw threads to engage on opposite sides of the thread and rovided with a notch between these portions or passage of the thread, and a second contact to engage the central lamp contact.

6. In a device of the character described, an insulating member, and a lamp support mounted on said member comprising two spaced rings arranged in substantially parallel planes and adapted to receive the screw shell contact of a lam one of the rings being substantially flat an the other havlng two opposite portions thereof offset from each other substantially the distance between two threads of said contact, and the connection between said portions being provided with a notch for passage of the thread.

7. In a device of the' character described, a substantially U-shaped support, means for securing the free ends of said support to a mounting, an insulating plate mounted on the member connecting the legs of the support and extending substantially parallel thereto so as to leave the sides open for free circulation of air, means mounted on the plate for supporting a lamp in substantially parallel relation to said plate comprising a contact adapted for holding engagement with a screw shell lamp contact, a separate contact to engage a central lamp contact, and binding screws connected with said contacts.

8. In a device of the character described, an insulating support, a lamp support mounted on the insulating support comprising an integral member having a pair of spaced substantially parallel arms having aligned openings therethrough to receive the threaded shell contact of a lamp, one of said arms having two portions thereof ofi'set laterally from each other an amount substantially equal to the space between two threads on said shell so as to engage in the grooves on the opposite sides of a thread, and the connection between the portions having a notch for passage of said thread.

9. In a device of the character described, A

an insulating support, a lamp support mounted on the insulating support comprising an integral member having a pair 0 spaced substantially parallel arms having aligned openings therethrough to receive the 0 threaded shell contact of a lamp, one of said arms having two portions thereof ofiset laterally from each other an amount substantially equal to the space between two threads on said shell so as to engage in the grooves on the opposite sides of a thread, and the con-' nection between the portions having a notch for passage of said thread, a second spring contact mounted on said support in position to engage a central lamp contact, and bind-' ing screws connected to said contacts.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

TONJES A. BOTH. 

